Apparatus for underwater immersion



Nov. 2, 1 954 R.- GALEAZZI APPARATUS FOR UNDERWATER IMMERSION Filed Sept. 16, 1950 INVENTOR:

Roberto @aleazzi A-rra ILNEBS The present invention relates to apparatuses for underwater immersion "and its object is 'to provide" an improved device characterized in that it is fitted with a hydraulic air bell separate from the divers head to which it is connected by means of a suitable conduit.

:Devices are known for underwater immersion and particularly:

(d) The mask for underwater observation and submarine hunt, which comprises a rubber face-guard and a device for taking in atmospheric air and for expelling it. This mask may be utilised only for every short immersions, that is to say for immersions during only the time that a man can retain his breath, whilst the device for the passage of the air allows the driver to breathe regularly when he is on the surface, through a tube provided with a float which closes the tube at the moment of the immersion in order to prevent the water from entering the mask.

Said mask, besides it does not allow but immersions of very short duration, has also the disadvantage that, during the immersion, particularly when at a certain depth, the hydrostatic pressure presses the edge of the face-guard against the divers face, so as to cause him a pain which may become unbearable, since the drivers face is not submitted to the external pressure therefore it is not balanced to the ambient.

(b) The casque or hydraulic air headpiece, which consists of a helm of suitable shape and material, put on the divers head down to the shoulders and open at its lower part, for the water to circulate freely therein. The water is prevented from entering into the casque by the air which can be continually renewed from the surface through a tube fed by whatever air source having at least the same pressure as that which corresponds to the depth at which the diver is immersed.

According to this system the casque acts as a diving UnitedStates Patent '0 bell, since it is open below, therefore the air inspired by the diver is replaced at once by an equal volume of water and vice-versa, thus allowing an easy respiration independently from the quantity of air sent from the surface, whilst the air in surplus escapes by degrees from below the'casque.

With this casque immersions of whatever duration are possible, but the diver is not free in his movements, since during the immersion he must always keep his head in a slightly inclined position in order to prevent the water from penetrating into the bell and reaching his mouth. Moreover owing to the volume of the device, a heavy ballast is required, therefore the casque becomes very weighty and uneasy to manage when out of water. Besides the apparatus is very costly.

The disclosed disadvantages are eliminated by the contrivance set forth in the present specification, which also realizes the advantages of both the above mentioned systems.

This aim has been reached by making the air bell independent from the divers head to which it is connected by means of a suitable conduit.

The connection between the divers body and the air bell may be performed by joining a common mask suitably fitted or else a simple mouthpiece to said bell through a suitable tube. When a mouthpiece is employed also underwater goggles of any known type can be made use of.

The air inlet from the surface can be connected either.

directly to the bell or to any point of the conduit.

The bell according to the present invention comprises a container of suitable shape and capacity, fitted to the 2,693,179 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 divers body. The capacity of the apparatus can be proportioned to the capacity of the divers lungs but, at any rate, it will be much smaller than that of any other bell casque.

Said container is open at the bottom so as to allow the water to freely and quickly penetrate therein when the diver inspires and to go out when he expires. It is obvious that the excess of air supplied from the surface by any known means and through a common hose, may go out only through the mouth of the bell so as to be sure that said bell be always filled with air at the beginning of each inspiration. Suitable suspension means for the bell allow the opening thereof to be always downwards, whatever the position of the immersed man and his movements may be.

With an apparatus of this type the diver will be able to remain underwater for an unlimited time at perfect and complete liberty of movements. The apparatus according to the invention will be more easily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a constructional form of the bell provided with rotatable suspension means.

A trap 7 may be provided at the lower part of mask 6 wherein the water which entered eventually into the mask, may becollected being then drown off, if desired, through a cock 8. A stopcock 9 placed before point 3 allows the diver to stop at pleasure the air flowing from the surface. In that case the diver will be able to go on breathing for a short time by availing himself only of the air contained in the bell as long as said air is not polluted by C02 emitted by the diver. This device is particularly adapted to be used for underwater hunt, where it may be convenient at the decisive moment, to completely eliminate any air outlet from the bell in order not to frighten the prey.

The shutting up of the stopcock can also be used by the diver as an alarm device, since the guides attention may be attracted by the suspension of the air flow; therefore after the maximum time. previously fixed has passed without the air recommencing to flow, thus proving that the diver has again turned up the stopcock, the guide may set about to recover him.

Referring particularly to the drawing, 1 is an air source (pump, compressor, compressed air cylinder or the like) situated on the surface; 2a is a hose interconnecting said air source with one side of a T-piece or connector 3; 2b is a hose interconnecting a second side of said T-piece or connector with the mask for the divers face. Bell 4 communicates with the first side of the T-piece 3 by means of gimbals, that is to say by means of a device articulated on two axes of rotation at substantially one to the other, like the one used for suspension of the mariners compass; said suspension comprising a U-shaped tube 10 articulated around the axes bb by means of an air-tight joint of any known type 11 supported by the third side of the T-piece 3, the joint 13 fitted at the ends of the U-shaped tube forming the second axis of rotation an turned at substantially 90 to the axis bb.

The bell together with its gimbals can be arranged on the divers body in the most suitable position. Preferably it is fastened to the divers back as a knapsack or by means of harness or belt.

The'pain caused to the diver by the normal mask is eliminated by the device according to the present invention since at the interior of the mask there is always the same pressure as that of the outside, corresponding to the depth at which the man is immersed. When the mask is replaced by a pair of underwater goggles, said goggles can be in communication with the air conduit through a connection pipe, so that the internal pressure of the goggles may be balanced to the external one thus eliminating the disadvantage said above.

In some cases the air delivery from the surface may be suppressed, thus limiting the apparatus only to the air bell connected to the mask through a suitable conduit. In this case the mask will be preferably provided with a common device for the passage of the air, independent from the bell, such device being used by the diver for breathing when on the surface. At the moment of the immersion the device is shut up according to any known system and the diver can remain underwater much longer than he can with an ordinary underwater mask, by breathing the air contained in the bell and being thus in the same condition as that in which he happens to be when stopcock 9 is turned off. Always in this case the apparatus may be provided with compressed air cylinders of suitable capacity, in order to increase the autonomy of the diver when in immersion.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, right being herein reserved to all such modifications falling within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for supplying divers with air in underwater immersion, the apparatus comprising an air hell with weighted bottom, a T-piece for supporting said bell downwardly directed from one end thereof and interconnected therewith, a hose for interconnecting the second end of said T-piece with a mask, and a second hose for introducing air into the third end of said T-piece, the T-piece being secured to the hell by two axes of rotation at substantially 90 one to the other.

2. Apparatus for supplying divers with air in underwater immersion, the apparatus comprising a T-piece, a hose conducting air to one side of said T-piece, a second hose for conducting air from the opposite side of said T-piece to a mask, a hell with weighted open bottom for the third side of the T-piece, and means for interconnecting the third side of. the Tpiece along axes of rotation turned substantially at 90 to each other.

3. Apparatus for supplying divers. with, air in underwater immersion, the apparatus comprising in combination a T-piece and an air supply for the face of the diver, a hose interconnecting the air supply with one side of said T-piece, a second hose for interconnecting the opposite side of said T-piece with a mask, a U-shaped tube rotatably disposed on the third side of the T-piece and communicating therewith, an air bell with Weighted open bottom rotatably secured intermediate the ends of the U-shaped tube and a conduit disposed in the bell, the conduit communicating with the U-shaped tube through the axes of the bell and communicating with the hollow interior thereof at the top. 

